Tu: pursue don't forget to beginner's mind, research has its own soul

Time: 2016-07-08

Source: China's traditional Chinese medicine

Author: LiZheng

"I was the idea is very simple, is the tissue culture I, must complete the tasks assigned by the organization. This determination is larger."

"I hope more young people to consider the needs of the party and country, China's advantage, combine their traditional things with modern science, to do more innovative contribution. This is my biggest wish."

On July 1, the central committee of the communist party of China awarded tu "national outstanding communist party member" title. Tu, a 85 - year - old said: "I want to in accordance with the communist party member's standard strict with myself, how to consider the needs of the party and the country."

In 1969, the predecessor of the ministry of health of China's traditional Chinese medicine academy of sciences institute of traditional Chinese medicine to participate in the national "523" the fight against malaria research projects, tu was appointed team leader. Tu lived up to the trust of the party and state to her, her research has saved millions of lives around the world, her spirit inspired the whole of China many scientific research workers.

On December 7, 2015, tu for the outstanding contribution of artemisinin malaria research was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine. Speech, her deep feeling about the Chinese scientists find antimalarial drugs, and beginning and end of the discovery of artemisinin. On the award platform tu excited: "have the opportunity to accept such task, I realized the national trust for me, feel a great responsibility, a difficult task. I am determined to, strive hard, try my best to finish tasks."

Yong bear

"It must complete the tasks assigned by the organization"

Malaria by the world health organization as one of the world's three major disease death. In the 19th century, French chemist antimalarial component was isolated from cinchona bark quinine. During the second world war, the new developed quinine substitute chloroquine, became a wonder drug for the treatment of malaria.

In the 1960 s, causes malaria parasites gradually showed a strong resistance. In our country, the time of the malaria problem has become a "malaise". Abroad, the beauty of Vietnam, the helpless, the two sides of falciparum malaria basic invalid chloroquine and its derivatives, general secretary of the communist party of ho chi minh on new Chinese support requests; Home, in the early 60 s, early 70 s, malaria outbreak of large-scale twice, in 1960 and in 1970 the national average rates as high as 155.4 / $296.1 / m.

Organization antimalarial survey in domestic top scientific research strength, is urgently needed. On May 23, 1967, the national science and technology commission and China's people's liberation army general logistics department held in Beijing "malaria prevention and treatment of drug research collaboration meeting", the relevant ministries, directly under the army headquarters and the relevant provinces, city, district, military leaders and their subordinate units to attend, discuss determines the planning, three years of research and at the time of the meeting named "523".

Soon, to participate in the "523" to the task under the institute of traditional Chinese medicine. Yard was somewhat puzzled, to serve as a "523" task, must be reliable political, academic quality. Areas of traditional Chinese medicine academy of sciences, however, is 10 years of unrest, and scientific research of severely affected, almost to a halt. Who can pick up the burden of "523" task?

39, research assistant tu into the research field of vision. Tu in 1955 after graduating from Beijing medical college department of pharmacy, into the institute of traditional Chinese medicine research institute. In response to chairman MAO's call that "western medicine study of traditional Chinese medicine" in 1959, tu took an active part in the "class" Chinese medicine research institute of the departure to study TCM. In the process of two and a half years of full-time study, she not only mastered the theoretical knowledge, engaged in clinical study, also has further to the old may learn Chinese medicine medicinal materials company to identify and processing technology. In the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) of the actual situation of the tu is a scientific research team leader.

Tu unhesitatingly accepted the task given by the organization. She said: "I the idea is very simple, is the tissue culture I, must complete the tasks assigned by the organization. This determination is larger."

Team leader means responsibility and mission, but also means the effort and sacrifice. In order not to affect the work, tu cruel send big daughter li nursery full-time nursery classes, the youngest daughter home li back to ningbo. Is li in the youth cannot understand how can a mother for scientific research, for family to give up their career. Tu lover Li Tingzhao love dearly daughter's situation on the one hand, on the one hand supporting the work of the tu. Looking back, he was helpless: "daughter did not understand, understand now. Very hard, but can't. Tu can because the children don't do projects? Impossible."

Today, tu remember the matter still feel sorry for her daughter. Special task in the face of the special times, in order to act, tu make difficult decisions.

As a reagent

"Of course I am a team leader, led"

Group set up, tu seek pills trip to open it.

From the study of materia medica, tu widely collected all previous dynasties classics, refer to the party. Three months, she selected from more than 2000 prescriptions including 640 of the formulas in editorial "malaria single secret prescription sets" to "523" office. Did not cause attention of artemisinin was among them.

By September 1971, the team screened more than 300 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) water extract and alcohol extract samples, including artemisinin, but its highest for parasite inhibition rate is only 40%. To reading books, became the only choice. Eastern jin ge hong's "the elbow backup nasty side," a paragraph about the description of artemisia annua bring tu: "ACTS a hold to 2 litres of water stains, wring juice, best of clothing." The essence of modern science unearthed ancestors, become a much-told story, but the scientific research work of complex and hardship are far more than people imagine.

Team members Zhong Yurong remember, busy until the evening 10 o 'clock at nine is normal group. After a failed 190 times, October 4, 1971, the experimental results show that the neutral extract artemisinin ether, 191 samples of the malaria parasite inhibition rate reached 100%.

After the cheer, difficulties emerge again. A lot of preparation is a must to further clinical research, artemisinin ether extracts. During the "cultural revolution", the pharmaceutical industry to cease, and the difficulties in a short period of time the preparation of a large number of extract. "Horse" method, with seven big tank instead of the conventional extraction container, no ventilation system, more lack of protective measures, ether and other organic solvent is harmful to human body. Then by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the director of the Jiang Tingliang back then, still shudder: "a lot of researchers appear allergic reaction, such as tu had toxic hepatitis." Li Tingzhao recalls: "at that time, she only ACTS in the brain, is the organic solvent such as alcohol, ether home were covered."

Everything comes to him who waits, tu neutral enough artemisinin ether extract is prepared. But due to suspected side effects in animal studies, the drug cannot be directly used for clinical purposes. And the transmission of malaria season is coming to an end, if miss the clinical observation, will have to wait another year. Tu going: "of course I am a team leader, led!" She wrote to organizational, willing to try their own clothing. Her courage and boldness of vision to get the response of the colleagues, in July 1972, the three researchers such as tu live in Beijing dongzhimen hospital, becoming the first reagent "mice". Human trials for a week, found no obvious side effects.

Jiang Tingliang to tu heartfelt admiration: "the era, especially need this spirit." Tsinghua university, vice President shi said: "scientists themselves to do experiments, this is a kind of dedication."

In August 1972, tu get medicine to hainan ChangJiang malaria area, under the high temperature heat travelling, scramble for patients in clinical observation. In hainan, tu complete 21 cases of clinical curative effect observation of antimalarial, turn all parasites. In early December, the separation of artemisinin crystal by mouse malaria experiments prove antimalarial effect is remarkable, the single molecule from artemisia annua with antimalarial activity first confirmed the fact.

In 1981, the world health organization (who) sent a letter to the ministry of health of China, the antimalarial drug artemisinin recognised by the world. It was also in this year, has been in accordance with the requirements for the communist party member standard own tu wish to join the communist party of China.

Artemisinin and helpful

"The honor belongs to the collective"

In 2011, dedicating himself tu the road of scientific research into the public eye for the first time, she was awarded the known as the "Nobel Prize barometer," said the lasker clinical medicine. Jury told them: first the artemisinin to "523" project, the first extracted with 100% inhibition rate of artemisinin, the first to do the clinical trials.

After winning the tu calm and quiet, she says: "this is not I a person's honor, is the honor of all the scientists in China." Artemisinin research and development is to create the miracle in the collaboration, is full of a batch of scientific research workers such as tu efforts, sweat is also inseparable from the whole country as a collaborative support. As a communist party member, tu never want to take credit for your own, she repeatedly said on various occasions, "the honor belongs to the collective."

In spite of this, tu and "ACTS of god" the name of the famous international quickly.

And promotion before the advent of artemisinin, the world each year about 400 million people infected with malaria, at least 1 million people died of the disease. Helpless, can't afford to buy expensive antimalarial malaria patients death concentration distribution in sub-saharan Africa, and the birth of artemisinin changed this painful condition. According to statistics, in this century, sub-saharan Africa, about 240 million people benefit from Yu Qinghao element combination therapy, there are about 1.5 million people died as a result of the treatment to save lives.

The world health organization (who) Africa affairs chief, Mr Di morty, said the discovery of artemisinin for malaria treatment brings to people's health and well-being of the world. He said: "malaria is the African people, especially the major health killer of African children. Over the years, artemisinin have saved the lives of a large number of people in Africa, the United Nations in one thousand to Africa achieve development goals play an important role." The world health organization says artemisinin combination therapy is currently the most effective way to treat malaria, artesunate antimalarials is resistant to malaria drug resistance effect is the best medicine. Is given priority to with artemisinin drugs combination therapy, has become the world health organization recommends anti-malaria standard therapy.

Was awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for speech, tu again, artemisinin malaria research achievement is the result of team work. She says: "I thank again in '523' malaria research of traditional Chinese medicine academy of sciences team members, remember them in artemisinin research, discovery and application of positive input and outstanding contributions. Not everybody selfless team spirit of cooperation, we can't in the short term to artemisinin contribution to the world."

Motivate junior

"More to consider the needs of the party and country"

In 1981, the institute of traditional Chinese medicine to become China's first doctor and master degree-conferring unit tu began to recruit master graduate student. In 2001 by Chinese medicine, Chinese materia medica doctoral degree successfully tu began to recruit doctoral student. She took the first doctoral student, is the current king of the department of the capital university of medical sciences institute of traditional Chinese medicine Chinese medicine agent with yuan.

In 2002, Dr King yuan full admission. Mentor tu very solemnly gave him a notebook. Notebook on the cover page "learn from comrade lei feng", through the yellow paper, wang yuan seem to see a full rigorous academic predecessors Benedict line at day and night. The 32 open dark green notes into draft in the late 1960 s and early '70 s, records the tu for a variety of traditional Chinese medicine extraction, separation of chemical constituents of relevant information. Special s, scientific research and information collection is not easy, is the a lot of information in the notes she passed from the "committee" circulated around the school materials.

The purpose of considering the students as well as the integrity of the program and practical, with wang yuan tu direction of hongyao tablets chemical composition and preliminary bioactivity research dissertation. This is tu in recent years, one of the few artemisinin research outside of work. She still paid, let the king turned yuan in the Beijing university school of medicine, union medical university to study Chinese medicine chemistry, spectra analysis, such as curriculum, in her seventies still teaching. Wang yuan to tutor appreciate full: "they that a generation of scientists, has a strong sense of national pride and the collective sense of belonging, also has the very strong scientific beliefs. She told me the influence is subtle, from her, I learned to do research. After found focus on the direction of the will firmly through scientific research."

Tu in word and deed are affecting young researchers around. Artemisinin research center of traditional Chinese medicine academy of sciences, party branch secretary zhang dong said: "as a party member, tu teacher, first of all, do their work very well, her actions can affect others." "We do research can't be too hot pursuit. Artemisinin team members to LAN as described tu inspired to her, "be sure to do thorough preparation in one area, to become the expert."

Earlier this year, tu of artemisinin approval documents for clinical treatment of lupus erythematosus (sle) project, medicine as a young dream, still is the power of her forward. Her won the Nobel Prize to donate, mostly in their own work unit of China institute of traditional Chinese medicine academy of sciences and the department of Peking University, the Alma mater for young researchers to set up the reward fund. She said: "I hope more young people to consider the needs of the party and country, China's advantage, combine their traditional things with modern science, to do more innovative contribution. This is my biggest wish."

Moved by a netizen, specially made a word "qingping joy, praise the" outstanding communist party member tu: pure academic, work in artemisinin. Always keep your technology peak banner tree, Nobel award. Pursue don't forget to beginner's mind, research has its own soul, dream goal call, for the people struggle for life.

Essay: pure heart molded shining example

The 95th anniversary of the founding of the communist party of China, winner of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2015 tu was awarded the title of "national outstanding communist party member". Her pure heart with a loyal to the party and the people, selfless dedication, self-motivated, written in scientific research work of practical action the glorious example of excellent party member.

The research condition is far more difficult than they are now, but tu grasped the nettle and assiduously, bench, finally achieved remarkable scientific research. She show to the world the work of the communist party member's hard struggle spirit. We should learn from tu, learn a lot in her feet on the ground, perseverance, and make new contributions to the development of the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine innovation.

Decades of scientific research work, tu sacrifice small achievement, stick to try poison, indifferent to fame and wealth to hold. In her which fully reflects the communist party member "head bowed as a willing ox" dedication. We learn from tu study, she always adhere to the party and the people's interests first, work hard, no personal gain and loss, to forget oneself work attitude to create a more brilliant performance.

Artemisinin saved millions of lives, but tu has never stopped the pace of progress, she is still in trying to make more valuable traditional Chinese medicine to produce more results. We learn from tu study, she as a medical with practise medicine and helpful beginner's mind, to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, with perseverance natures healer kung lofty character.

Tu with conviction, patriotic enthusiasm, broad mind and practical action to fulfill the glorious duty a outstanding communist party member. She loves party love for the people, serve the public, offers salvation, the spirit of arduous struggle, innovation style, is an example to be set for each communist party member, and each person of Chinese medicine model of learning.